Stellaria aquatica is a species of flowering plant in the carnation family Caryophyllaceae, known as water chickweed or giant chickweed. It is a perennial herbaceous dicot plant with stems between 10 and 100 cm. high, growing in humid, wet areas, for example, on the sides of gutters or under or between bushes. It occurs naturally in the temperate regions of central and western Europe. The flowers are white. The plants bloom between June and August.
The preference is full sun to light shade, wet to moist conditions, and fertile soil that is loamy or silty. It can withstand dry conditions for short periods of time.
Distributed throughout the Northeast and Midwest, giant chickweed was first observed in the 1870s in Maryland and Pennsylvania. This introduced species is typically found as an occasional individual rather than in large numbers.
This herbaceous perennial plant is 1–2½' tall, branching occasionally. The stems are erect or spreading, and more or less hairy. The opposite leaves are up to 2" long and 1" across. They are cordate-ovate, smooth along the margins, slightly pubescent, and usually sessile (the lower leaves may have short petioles). Single flowers may develop from the leaf axils of the upper stems, while the remaining flowers occur in small clusters at the end of stems.
This plant is useful.
